


So Far From Home Where the Ocean Stood

by amorekay



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aftermath, Angst, F/M, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-22
Updated: 2012-03-22
Packaged: 2017-11-02 09:05:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/367299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amorekay/pseuds/amorekay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aang has been sleeping a lot for days now. Set during the last episode, around the coronation/tea gathering time frame.</p>
            </blockquote>





	So Far From Home Where the Ocean Stood

The season is coming to a close. Leaves are blowing off the trees lining the path and pillowing on the surface of the water, drifting underneath Aang’s feet as he sits on the edge of the bridge. He lets the breeze drift across his face and breathes out. His mind feels too crowded, cluttered up with thoughts he can’t get rid of, things he needs to do, things he doesn’t want to think about now; even in the calm of the sunset his heart races too fast to keep up. He runs his hands over his skull and groans. 

A soft rustle of fabric and Katara sits down beside him, curving her ankle around his over the water’s edge. He looks up at her and she smiles, but her eyes stay worried. He winces at the questions about to come, but she opens her mouth - and stops herself. 

“It’s beautiful out here,” she says softly, instead. 

Aang’s been sleeping a lot for days now, his rest full of feverish dreams and half-remembered conversations with Roku, Gyatso, the blurry faces of the nuns and monks of the Air temples telling him of the principles he must live his life in line with. He feels lost and scared inside his own skin, a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach like he still holds the responsibility of ending a life. 

When he woke in the afternoon, Katara had stepped into the room and smiled at him as he blinked sleep from his eyes. “I can’t believe it’s all done,” she’d murmured in awe, and anger had flared up hot and vicious in his veins. “It’s _not_ done!” He had yelled. “It’s not finished! It hasn’t even _started_!” His head had felt about to explode, and he couldn’t center himself enough to think straight, pushing past her and out into the courtyard where he could breathe. 

Now, she sits silent and gentle beside him, the skin of her ankle cool against his. He leans into her shoulder and wants to apologize, but his head still feels cloudy and he’s so tired. The world is waiting for the Avatar, he still has so much left to do, and he’s so tired. He just wants to sleep. 

Katara threads her fingers through his and squeezes his hand tightly as he starts to cry.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Ben Howard's [Old Pine](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzzCthKw_C0).


End file.
